Health in Five // Strengthen Your Back & Shoulders
Health in Five // Dumbbell Rows With Ben Zaleski
In this edition of Health in Five, Sandy Shores Personal Trainer Ben Zaleski demonstrates the dumbbell row—a foundational strength exercise that helps build upper body strength, improve posture and protect your shoulders.
When building upper body strength, it's easy to focus on exercises like pushups and the bench press. While these pushing movements are important, many people overlook the muscles in their upper back. That's where the bent over dumbbell row comes in.
How to Perform a Bent Over Dumbbell Row
To get started, grab two dumbbells or an at-home item of your choice (water bottles, soup cans, etc.)
- Stand with your feet about shoulder-width apart.
- Keep a slight bend in your knees.
- Hinge forward at your hips while maintaining a neutral spine.
- Let the dumbbells hang beneath your shoulders.
- Pull the dumbbells toward your sides, focusing on squeezing your shoulder blades together at the top of the movement.
- Slowly lower the dumbbells back to the starting position with control.
Complete 3 sets of 8-10 repetitions, prioritizing proper form over heavier weight.
Tips for Proper Form
To get the most from this exercise while reducing your risk of injury:
- Keep your back flat throughout the movement.
- Avoid arching your lower back.
- Move slowly and with control.
- Focus on squeezing your shoulder blades together rather than using momentum.
Maintaining good form helps target the correct muscles and maximizes the benefits of every repetition.
Exercise Benefits
Your upper back plays an important role in everyday movement, posture and shoulder health. Strengthening these muscles can help balance out the pushing exercises many people already include in their workouts.
Benefits of bent over dumbbell rows include:
- Strengthening the upper back
- Improving posture
- Supporting long-term shoulder health
- Building balanced upper body strength
Whether you're new to strength training or looking to improve your workout routine, adding bent over dumbbell rows can make a lasting difference.
As Ben says, your future self will thank you for starting today.
Learn more about memberships and training available at Sandy Shores Wellness Center.
